The Somerset reporter., 1887-11-16
The Last Chapter.


dy begun in Chicago in May, losG, when
seven policemen were killed and about
nifty wounded by the bomb and pis' OILS Of
Il murdcrons band Anarchists. were en-
acted in that city Friday. Louis Idngg,
the leader of the murderous gang. who
made the bombs and taught his associates
their use, committed suicide In his cell
Friday by exploding in his mouth n
Illuminating cap. Coy. Oglesby, yield
ing TO the pressure brought to bear upon
him, committed the scntance Of Michael
Schwab and Samuel Ficldcn to imprison-
ment for life, and the other four were
executed in the prison yard ut Chicago
Friday.
The following Is the text of Governor
oglesby's sonlcommitting two of the
prisoners: con the 10Th day of August.
leNG, in the County Criminal Court Au-
gust Spies, Albert Il. Parsons, Samuel
Fielden, Michael Schwab. Adolgh Fischer.
George Engcl aud Louis lingg were
found guilty by the VERDICT of the Jury.
and afterwards sentenced to be hanged
for the murder of Matthias J began. IN
appeal was taken from such finding and
sentenced to the Supreme Court of the
State. That court upon Il final hearing,
and after mature dclibcration, unanimous
ly affirmed the judgement of the court
below. The following is Coy. Ogle,by's
decision;
The case now comes before me by petit
ton of the defendants for consideration
as Governor of the State if TIE letters of
Albert Parsons, Adolph Fischer, George
Engel and Louis Lingg demanding TN
conditional release, and rs they express
it, "liberty or DEATH and protesting in
the strongest language against mercy
or commutaton of sentence pronounced
against them can be considered petitions
pardon, could it be granted which might
imply any guilt whatever upon the part
of either of them would not be such II
yindictiOn rs they demand. Executive
intervation, upon the grounds insisted
upon by the four above named persons
could in no proper sense be deemed an
exercise of the constitutional power to
grant reprieyes, combinations and par
done unless based upon the belief, on my
part, of their entire innocence of the
crime of which they stand convicted.
careful consideration of the evidence
in the record of the trial of the parties,
as well as of alleged and claimed for
them outside of the record, has failed to
produce upon my mind any impression
tending to mpeach the verdict of the
jury of the judgment of the trial courtor.
of the Supreme Cont affirming the guilt
of all these parties. Satisfied, therefore,
as | am, of their guilt, | am preeluded
from considering the question of com
mutation of the sentences Of Albert K.
Parsons, Adolph Fischer, George Engel
Louis Lingg to Imprisonment in the
Pententiary, as they emphateally declar-
ed they will not accept such communication.
Samuel Fielden Michael SdhWab and
August Spies unite i'm petition for
Executive clemency. Fieldcn and Sch
wab, in addition, present separate and
supplementary petitions for the com
mutation of their sentences. While, as
said above, | am satisfied of their guilt
of all the parties a. found by the verdict
of the jury, which was sustained by the
judgement of the courts. Il most careful
consideration of the whole subject leads
me to the conclusion that the sentence Of
the law as to Samuel Ficldcn and Michael
Schwab may be modified, rs To each
of them, in the interest of humanity and
without doing violence to public justice.
And as to the said Samuel Fielden and
Michael Schwab. the sentence i COM
muted To imprisonment in the pentcH-
tiary for life As to all the other above
named defendants, do not feel jusli-
fled in interfering with the sentence of
defendants August Spies, Adolph Fischer
George Engel, Albert Il, Parsons and
Louis Lingg, regret to say that under
the solemn sense or the obligations Of
my Office have been unable to do 50,
No other four men, probably, ever
showed more thorough contempt for
death than the Anarchists executed Fri
day last. From early dawn till the last
moment they would not see Il shadow,
either of ignominy or of the hereafter,
beginning with the first refusal in the
teeth of death of comfort froma minister.
One Fischer, sang the "MarscilaisC.'
They seemingly had not thought of the
massacre at llaymarkct or prepared for
the march toward the gallows. While
the death warrants werei'r cad, the dark
boards and eyes of Fieldcn and SchNub
appeared against the bars of their cell
doors. The men were phenOmally calm,
being pinioned.
When the reading of the warrant, was
tniscd both Spies and Fischer looked
straight into the Sheritl's Eyes and said:
You are now about To connie a judicial
murder When Fischer was bound and
placed beside Spies, he nodded TO Spies
ia a pleasant manner and asked him, in
German how he felt. Spies smiled good
naturcdly and replied thai he felt first
rate. Engcl, while standing beside Spies
and Fischer, said "Wcll2a Us if to in
quirc their feelings. Spies and Fischer
replied smiling chcerly and noddiug
Parsons warrant was read last, lie
seemed ncrvcd up to great tension and
had nothing TO say. He stepped lightly
from the cell when the reading Was
finished, hut drew back inyoluntarily at
the sight of three ghostlY looking figures
bound and shroudcd before him. Again
he stepped out with a look of defiance
Bind me tight, " he said. "Bc sure and
Make no Mistakes The deputy com
piled too well. Forming Il double file,
each of the four Anarchists side by side
with deputy were headed east and
started for the gall0Ws. \ stop at the
iron door Of the cages gave the -four Il
chance 10 turn their heads in the dircc-
ton of the second gallery and bid good
bye several times to Schwab and ficldcn.
"Biaudhcr Schwab,' shouted Fischer, in
German, I'VE wish you happy life and
that you may soon be free > Then he adj
ded Good by Sam" Good by sam,
echoed Spies and Engel. Parsons said
nothing. Sehwab stood ut the door Of
cell, his hands folded behind, his brow
overhung with matted hair pressed
against the bars and tears sfrcamed down
his cheeks and into the black, unkempt
beard. lie was 50 overcome he could not
speak Rev Dr. Bolton offered the
prisoners spiritual consolation for the
last time, but sarcastic smile lit their
faces rs they resumed their way along
fla, f,rriI,r and turned slowly into the